University Women’s Club of Winnipeg, The First Women of 54 West Gate: Helen Gordon and her Six Daughters

Ian Mosby, Food Will Win the War: The Politics, Culture, and Science of Food on Canada’s Home Front

Review Essay: Winnipeg Architecture Foundation Book Series by Marilyn Baker

Cool Things in the Collection: The Letter Book of Ralph Blasdale, Winnipeg Real Estate Broker

Posted: 19 July 2015

New Weekly CBC Radio Feature: “Abandoned Manitoba”

In collaboration with CBC Manitoba, the Manitoba Historical Society is drawing attention to unique, abandoned historic structures around the province. Among the places to be profiled in this weekly radio feature will be schools, churches, stores, homes, grain elevators, military bases, and more. Listen to Terry Macleod’s Weekend Morning Show on Sundays around 7:45 AM.

Lieutenant-Govenor Philip S. Lee will present awards today at Government House to five Manitobans for their prolonged, meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of the province’s rich history and heritage. They are:

Recipient

Community

Citation

Lorna Feilberg Annell

Ste. Anne

Since the 1980s, she has been active in the preservation of local history in southeastern Manitoba. She researched and edited a comprehensive book on the history of the communities of East Braintree, Glenn, and McMunn. She has been an enthusiastic volunteer at the Midwinter Museum, housed at East Braintree in the former Midwinter one-room schoolhouse, and prepared an historical booklet for its 100th birthday celebration last August. As a member of the East Braintree Cemetery Board, she has mapped the graves of pioneers for this area of the province.

Marc George

Shilo

For over 11 years, he has shared his extensive historical knowledge as Curator and Director of the Royal Canadian Artillery Museum at CFB Shilo near Brandon. Under his direction, the facility has become one of the nation’s pre-eminent military museums, second in size only to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. He was instrumental in advancing archeological work at the Camp Hughes training site on the edge of the Carberry sandhills, and at the Whitewater Prisoner of War Camp in Riding Mountain National Park. Recently, he collaborated in producing a powerful trilogy of documentary films, entitled WarPaths, in which he explored connections between men from his hometown of Boissevain and their valiant service during the First World War. Major George has supported numerous historical projects, speaking to schools, service clubs, and Legions, where he has demonstrated his expertise with good humour and enthusiasm.

Robert “Bob” Jordan

Darlingford

For over 25 years, he has been the Curator and Director of the Darlingford School Heritage Museum, based in an 105-year-old, two-storey brick school building in Darlingford, Manitoba. He was a driving force in the community behind the opening of the museum in 1992, assisting with fundraising, training, acquisition and curation of artifacts, and construction of exhibits. He even donated his own extensive collection of military insignia and uniforms to its collections, and still volunteers regularly to maintain and open the museum to visitors. In addition, he served on committees that prepared two local history books for the Darlingford area, in 1970 and an update in 1999.

Barry McPherson

Winnipeg

He is widely and justifiably renowned for his expertise and innumerable contributions to the promotion and understanding of Manitoba’s rich history. His research of original documents has taken him from the Hudson’s Bay Company Archives here in Winnipeg to the libraries and archives throughout the United Kingdom. As a teacher and educational administrator of long standing, Barry has been active at writing books and articles about the Red River Settlement in a way that is never stuffy or boring. His meticulous attention to detail can most especially be seen in his authentic reproductions of historical costumes, prepared in close collaboration with his wife Judy. Both of them, as members of the Manitoba Living History Society, are stalwart participants in Heritage Fairs, Festival du Voyageur, New Year’s Levees at Government House, Selkirk Settler Bicentenary functions, museum events and displays, and numerous other places where they bring history alive: by sight, sound, and touch.

Doreen Oliver

Selkirk

Since at least the 1970s, she has been active at the local and provincial levels in promoting awareness of history and heritage. As Chair of the Selkirk Heritage Advisory Committee, she has organized walking tours, planned events, developed an archival collection, offered historical names for streets in new subdivisions, developed interpretive signage for the City’s historic waterfront, and advocated for the preservation of heritage buildings such as the Stuart House and Bunn Cottage. She is also a member of the heritage committee for a wider area including the municipalities of St. Clements and St. Andrews. At the provincial level, Ms. Oliver was active in Community Heritage Manitoba, an association representing municipal heritage groups that promoted education and awareness, and she was for many years the Secretary of the Archives Committee for the Anglican Diocese of Rupert’s Land.

“In the five years since this award was established, Manitobans have been recognized for researching and writing history books and videos, for preserving and curating collections of artifacts, for establishing and maintaining museums and historic sites, and for using their energy and creativity to bring the past to life through teaching, interpretation and performance, ” said the lieutenant-governor.

“History is an essential part of our civilization. It’s a kind of collective memory, but it’s something much more than memory. It’s a foundation of sources and artifacts that allows us to understand both what has happened and what’s happening now.”

The MHS receives award nominations from the public and recommends up to five people to receive awards each year. Nominations are welcome at any time.

Further details of the award program along with a nomination form are available on the Manitoba Historical Society website at www.mhs.mb.ca and can also be accessed through the website of the lieutenant-governor at www.manitobalg.ca.

Posted: 12 May 2015, updated 19 May 2015

Call for Renewal of City of Winnipeg Archives Building

The City of Winnipeg Archives at 380 William Avenue has been closed since 2013 because of storm damage. This heritage building is the proper home of the City’s archival collection, but it needs to be repaired and upgraded. We need your support in the form of a letter. Help let City council know it should put money into repairing and upgrading the 380 William site. Your support will help researchers get back into the proper home of the City of Winnipeg Archives. Your backing will assist the staff of the City of Winnipeg Archives return to their work place. And your support will help Winnipeg’s downtown benefit from the cultural richness that the archives can offer. Below you will find a call for your support and assistance. Please take the time to make your views count.

The City of Winnipeg has a legislated responsibility to provide for stewardship of its records on behalf of its current and future citizens. The archival collection of the City of Winnipeg is one of the oldest, most complete municipal government collections in Canada. It includes records of the original City of Winnipeg and all amalgamating municipalities. These records date from 1873. The information contained within them is irreplaceable. The proper home of the City of Winnipeg Archives – the Carnegie Library at 380 William – is at a critical stage in its 110 years of service to the city.

In 2013, the City of Winnipeg Archives located at 380 William (a wonderful heritage building) was damaged during a tremendous storm. Since that time, the archives have been operating out of makeshift storage facilities that are of lesser quality, endangering the significant records that the City of Winnipeg has custody over, and impeding researchers from accessing records.

The 380 William Avenue site is also in need of an upgrade. Here is a list of issues relating to the 380 William site, dating to 2009:

absence of a fire suppression system.

significant temperature/humidity fluctuations throughout the building.

accessibility issues (both for the public – universal access – and for shipping and receiving record transfers).

problematic maintenance, safety issues, suitability for current use and load issues relating to the compact moveable shelving in the basement. This shelving was not intended to hold cubic foot boxes. Bearing too much weight has caused mechanical problems – in particular, locking mechanisms frequently jam, thereby hampering access. The shelving material in the compact moveable shelving units and on combination steel/wood shelves elsewhere in the building is substandard for use in archives: wood products used in the existing shelving emit formaldehyde, which causes paper to become brittle over time, even though it is inside a storage container. The City is at risk to lose information through the degradation of paper records.

floor load, related structural integrity and code non-compliance issues as identified in the structural audit that require attention over the short, mid and long term. In the fall of 2006, 1600 boxes had to be moved out of 380 William Avenue due to imminent risk of failure of the flooring system.

Upgrades to remediate these issues were in the planning phases when the 2013 storm struck. Much of 2013 was spent responding to the June disaster. City council has not yet approved funding to get the initiative up and running again. Design and construction-ready plans are prepared. Now all we need is the support and budget from City council. No other site is suitable at this time to house the archives.

Additional benefits of repairing and upgrading the 380 William site:

improved research culture in Winnipeg;

improved foot traffic downtown;

improved records storage and management systems for generations to come;

experiential learning for post-secondary history and methods classes;

public tours for heritage lovers;

public gatherings and insightful talks in the event area.

Full details about the plans and the proposed budget are publically available.

Now that we have a new municipal government with an interest in revitalizing downtown, repairs to the building should be undertaken to restore and upgrade the proper home of the City of Winnipeg Archives.

Call For Support

This request is time sensitive. City council will be deliberating on these matters in mid-June 2015. You have a stake in seeing the City of Winnipeg Archives located at 380 William become operational again, as do all people who live in this city. You have a share in seeing the much-needed upgrades being completed. Here is what you can do.

Write a letter describing what the archives mean to you, and what you could do better if the 380 William site was repaired and upgraded.

Write a letter indicating how your group, organization or department will benefit from the repairing and upgrading of the 380 William site.

Write a letter indicating your thoughts about how Winnipeg’s downtown will benefit from the repairing and upgrading of the 380 William site.

If you can provide your letter of support on the official letterhead of your group, organization or department, this would be very much appreciated.

Please email the letter of support to Kevin Walby (k.walby@uwinnipeg.ca) or send by regular post to:

Help the City of Winnipeg Archives fulfill its mission: To acquire, manage and maintain accurate, authentic and usable records in the public trust. To foster civic identity and awareness by connecting citizens to the sources of their past, their histories, their communities. To support the transformation of information into knowledge.

Posted: 26 April 2015

Oral History Workshops at the University of Winnipeg

The Oral History Centre at the University of Winnipeg will be running its Introduction to Oral History workshop series this coming May. The three sessions of the Introduction to Oral History series cover the practice and philosophy of oral history, including: what makes oral history unique, how to plan a project, and methods of interviewing; the technical skills needed to make quality audio recordings; and how to create complementary text documents that will ensure your project is organized, archivable, and useful to future researchers.

Participants who complete all three workshop sessions are eligible to register as Affiliates of the Oral History Centre and as such arrange use of the OHC’s facilities and equipment.

Manitoba History No. 77 is now available for MHS members and will be ready for widespread distribution in three weeks. Hear authors featured in this issue speak about their article and ask them questions at a free “Meet the Authors” event on Thursday, 2 April at 7:00 PM, at the Asper Jewish Community Campus (123 Doncaster Street, Winnipeg). Some of its authors will be on hand to discuss their articles and a free reception will follow.

“An Excuse for Being So Bold:” D. W. McDermid and the Early Development of the Manitoba School for the Deaf, 1888-1900
by Sandy Barron

Stories of Bayanihan and Belonging: Filipinos in Manitoba, Part 2
by Alison Marshall

A Stitch in Time: Winnipeg Jews and the Garment Industry
by Stan Carbone

On Monday, 16 February 2015, Heritage Winnipeg held its 30th Annual Preservation Awards Ceremony at the Union Station (123 Main Street, Winnipeg). The awards recognize special efforts in projects completed in 2014 that protect, conserve, and reuse structures of high historic or architectural value. Conservation awards are given for commercial, institutional, or residential projects that involve the sensitive and adaptive use and/or re-use of these structures and provide for their long-term protection. A list of past award recipients is available here.

A President’s Award was presented to Neechi Commons (859 Main Street) for its role in the revitalization of North Main.

Distinguished Service Awards recognize the contribution of individuals or organizations that have demonstrated a concerted effort and leadership in protecting, conserving, promoting or communicating the historic and/or architectural values of Winnipeg’s built heritage. This year’s recipients were Marie Zorniak for her volunteerism with the Red River Heritage Fair, and the St. Matthew’s Anglican Parish and Grain of Wheat Community Church for their West End Commons residential conversion project at 641 St. Matthew’s Avenue.

After the award presentation ceremony, local architect Wins Bridgman (Bridgman Collaborative Architecture; left in above photo) described some features of the Union Station renovation for which his firm received an award.

Posted: 16 February 2015

MHS Presents: “Deer Range School”

This episode of the video series MHS Presents, created by Portage la Prairie filmmaker William Plenty with the Manitoba Historical Society, focuses on the beautifully preserved Deer Range School. The building, still furnished as it looked when it closed in 1959, sits on its original site and owned by Robert Smith, a descendant of the original landowner.

The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame has announced the creation of a new program of awards and grants to be called the Ed Sweeney Memorial Awards and Grants. The program is named in honour of Ed Sweeney, who passed away in 2013. Sweeney was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 2005, in recognition of his tireless efforts to discover and publicize the history of hockey in Manitoba and the worldwide hockey achievements of Manitobans.

Beginning in 2015, and annually thereafter, a maximum of two Ed Sweeney Memorial Awards, each worth $500, will be presented to individuals or groups who recently have published or produced items that contribute significantly to knowledge of Manitoba’s hockey history. The items can be books, articles, films, television programs, radio programs, theatrical productions, internet productions, or public exhibitions. The winners will be chosen from items nominated on a form to be found on the website of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame (www.mbhockeyhalloffame.ca).

The deadline for submissions of the first nominations is 15 January 2015. For the first year of these awards, anything published or produced from 2010 through 2014 will be eligible. Nominated items will be judged by a selection committee whose recommendations must be ratified by the Hall’s Board of Directors before announcements are made.

The first Sweeney Award winners will be announced in May 2015.

Posted: 30 December 2014

Founding of Royal Winnipeg Ballet Commemorated

The Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister Responsible for Manitoba and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface, on behalf of the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today announced the designation of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet as a national historic event. Minister Glover unveiled a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque to mark the commemoration.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is commemorated as one of the earliest ballet companies in the country which helped establish ballet as a theatrical dance form in Canada; for its distinctive repertoire in the Canadian context that was designed to appeal to a broad section of Canadian society; and for its extensive national and international tours.

Today, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet is one of the world’s premier dance companies, with a history that includes award-winning dancers and performances that have received much critical acclaim in Winnipeg, across the country and around the world. In addition to its professional dance operations, the company operates a prestigious dance school, with recreational and professional divisions.

Quick Facts:

The company was founded as the Winnipeg Ballet Club in 1939 by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, and in 1949, became Canada’s first professional ballet company.

The Royal Winnipeg Ballet is the longest continuously operating ballet company in North America.

In 1953, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet became the first ballet company in the British Commonwealth to be granted a Royal charter by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

In the 1950s and 1960s, the company became known to Canadians through its well-received national tours, which included many small towns, building appreciation for ballet across the country.

Under artistic director Arnold Spohr, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet rose to international fame, becoming one of North America’s most widely-travelled dance companies by the late 1970s.

Posted: 23 December 2014

12 Days of Christmas in Carberry

The tradition continues for the 10th straight year! The 12 Days of Christmas honours Manitoba heritage.

This year one of Carberry’s heritage sites will be featured in a daily blog post by Winnipegger Reid Dickie beginning Sunday, 14 December at www.readreidread.com. One-of-a-kind houses, stores, offices, civic buildings, an exceptional bank, and a crumbling mansion are among the highlighted sites, each with a full colour picture and descriptive history. Every post will include a Carberry factoid – tidbits of local knowledge.

Why Carberry? Reid regards Carberry as a Manitoba Heritage Gem and have often written about it on his blog and elsewhere. Two blocks of Carberry’s Main Street contain 28 designated heritage buildings, most are brick and built around 1900. The rich concentration of intact buildings make the street unique in Manitoba and a true prairie gem. To recognize that fact the province has designated the area as Manitoba’s First Heritage District, a distinction no other place in Manitoba can claim. The town honours and celebrates its history with the 3rd Annual Carberry Heritage Festival on 7 and 8 August 2015.

In 2005, Reid and his late wife Linda their first 12 Days of Christmas featuring lovely old Manitoba churches. Over the years, more churches ensued as did houses, schools and scared places – all with a heritage angle. They promoted the series by sending them via email to friends and interested people. Now Reid posts them on his blog.

Lt.-Gov. Philip S. Lee requests nominations for an award, presented in consultation with the Manitoba Historical Society, to recognize Manitobans who have provided prolonged, meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of the province’s rich history.

“History is the memory of a community. It is the conscience of a people. It is the mirror of a nation. Manitobans care greatly about their history. I have been continually impressed, since I introduced this award in 2011, by the range of good work and depth of public commitment shown by many people around the province who help to promote better appreciation of our shared history and heritage.” said Lt.-Gov. Lee.

The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Historical Preservation and Promotion is presented to people who have contributed to their community by writing historical publications and documents, operating and enhancing local museums and archives, raising public awareness through education and advocacy, serving on community groups to preserve historic sites and buildings, and a wide range of other activities.

As the oldest historical organization in western Canada, founded in 1879, the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS) presents awards to organizations, farms, and businesses that have operated for over 100 years, recognizes important historical books with its Margaret McWilliams Awards, and encourages school children to learn about Manitoba’s past through its Young Historians Awards. It publishes the magazine Manitoba History and operates a free, comprehensive website with information on all facets of Manitoba history.

The MHS will receive nominations from the public and will recommend up to five people to receive awards in 2014. All nominations must be received by 27 February 2015. The selected award recipients will be presented at Government House on Manitoba Day, 12 May 2015.

As part of its ongoing Historic Sites of Manitoba project, the Manitoba Historical Society has prepared a collection of over 200 military monuments around the province in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the First World War. Available at the link www.mhs.mb.ca/military, the visitor is presented with a list of monuments and the community in which they are located. Scroll through the list to see photos of a particular monument and, in most cases, a list of people whose names are listed on the monument and their military service. Or press a button to show them all on an interactive map.

Each letter is being posted on the Tumblr blog, titled “From the Somewhere”, on the 100th anniversary of the date they were written. The site will also feature other materials from the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections that help to tell the story of the First World War from a Canadian perspective. The letters document Baragar’s enlistment in the Canadian armed forces and his experiences while overseas at war, as well as in the months following. The first letter dates from 8 November 1914, written while Baragar was completing an education degree at the University of Toronto after graduating from the University of Manitoba.

The letters in the collection were sent home by Baragar to his family and fiancé from November 1914 to April 1919. His family eventually donated these and other materials to the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections as the Frederick D. Baragar fonds. A description of the collection can be found at: http://nanna.lib.umanitoba.ca/atom/index.php/frederick-d-baragar-fonds.

Besides viewing the blog, people are welcome to come see the letters in person in the archives, 330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library, University of Manitoba from 8:30 to 4:30, Monday to Friday. Any questions about the “From The Somewhere” project can be directed to Andrea Martin at Andrea.Martin@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-7868.

Posted: 7 November 2014

Manitoba History No. 76 Now Available in MHS Members Area

Manitoba History No. 76 is now available for MHS members and will be ready for widespread distribution in three weeks. It will be launched formally at McNally Robinson Booksellers, at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, 19 November 2014. Some of its authors will be on hand to discuss their articles, and copies will be available for purchase.

Moving South: The Other Jewish Winnipeg Before the Second World War
by Daniel Stone

W. H. B. Hoare, A Thelon Odyssey: Journal of a Barrenlander and Return to the Barrens edited by Sheila C. Thompson
by Graham MacDonald

Donica Belisle, Retail Nation: Department Stores and the Making of Modern Canada. Cheryl Krasnik Warsh & Dan Malleck (editors), Consuming Modernity: Gendered Behaviour and Consumerism before the Baby Boom. Graham Broad, A Small Price to Pay: Consumer Culture on the Canadian Home Front, 1939-45.
by Scott Stephen

Graham MacDonald, From Lac La Ronge Country
by Bob Cockburn

Misao Dean, Inheriting a Canoe Paddle: The Canoe in Discourses of English-Canadian. Bruce Erickson, Canoe Nation: Nature, Race, and the Making of a Canadian Icon
by Jamie Morton

Royden Loewen, Village Among Nations: “Canadian” Mennonites in a Transnational World 1916-2006
by Roland Sawatsky

Letter to the Editor

Cool Things in the Collection:
For Home and Country: Reflections of the Great War on a Women’s Society
by Marianne Reid

Posted: 2 November 2014

Last Vestige of Winnipeg’s Original Grace Hospital is Demolished

On Monday, 6 October 2014, the last remaining part of the Grace Hospital complex, on Arlington Street in the Wolseley area of Winnipeg, was demolished. Built in 1959, the five-storey brick structure was used as an obstetrical wing of the hospital before the facility was relocated to St. James. The building was later used as office space. A residence building for student nurses, constructed in 1942, remains opposite the site along Evanson Street and is used by Siloam Mission.

The names of three residents of Morden killed as a result of service in the First World War, who were omitted inadvertently from the Morden war memorial, were added recently. The corrections, instigated by history teacher Darryl Toews, were unveiled during a ceremony on 25 September 2014.

The Rural Municipality of Macdonald has recently marked the sites of 16 one-room schoolhouses that operated in its boundaries, in collaboration with the Manitoba Historical Society, with financial support of the Manitoba Heritage Grants Program. At each former school site, a sign has been erected containing a website address and QR code to a page on the MHS website where additional information about that school can be found. Schools in the municipality that already have a commemorative marker were not included in the project. The MHS is also collaborating on a similar project with the Rural Municipality of Morris.

Suyoko Tsukamoto prepares specimen for exhibit launch

The untold stories of the men and women from Brandon College (now Brandon University) who took part in World War l are chronicled in a new public exhibition, Brandon College and the Great War, on display at Brandon University (BU).

“500 students, staff and alumni, including two from the very first year of classes at the College in 1899, joined the Great War effort,” says exhibition creator Suyoko Tsukamoto, a BU alumna who started the project in 2012 in preparation for archeological research at Camp Hughes, the WWl training base east of Brandon.

Tsukamoto says the exhibit rediscovers details about local residents during one of the world’s deadliest conflicts, some of whom served with distinction. “William Leary was a Brandon College student who enlisted at the age of 19,” she says, “and was awarded the Military Cross on two separate occasions for bravery, including a daytime raid on enemy forces.”

Brandon College and the Great War is on display in the Tommy McLeod Curve Gallery in the John E. Robbins Library at Brandon University until 31 December. A reception to officially open the exhibition will be held Friday, 12 September, starting at 7:00 pm. Everyone is invited to attend.

“We are pleased to host an exhibition that will bring the community together to share stories that demonstrate the historic connection between the University, the city, and all of Canada,” says University Librarian Betty Braaksma. “Congratulations to Ms. Tsukamoto for creating this important retrospective.”

“World War I shaped the foundation of our nation and countries around the world,” says Dr. Gervan Fearon, BU President and Vice-Chancellor. “As a democracy, we ask our men and women to serve their country, many of whom were from Brandon College. This exhibition is an opportunity for Brandon University to honor their service.”

Posted: 13 September 2014

Winnipeg History Book Short-listed for Manitoba’s Biggest Book Club

Esyllt Jones’ recent book Imagining Winnipeg: History Though the Photographs of L. B. Foote, has been shortlisted for On the Same Page, Manitoba’s Biggest Book Club. The winner is selected via a vote, both in-person at WPL library branches, McNally Robinson Booksellers, and online at http://wpl.winnipeg.ca/library/onthesamepage.asp.

A reading from the four titles short0listed titles will be held at McNally Robinson Booksellers (1120 Grant Avenue, Winnipeg) on the evening of Thursday, 11 September, just before the voting closes on Monday, 15 September.

In an expanding and socially fractious early twentieth-century Winnipeg, Lewis Benjamin Foote (1873-1957) rose to become the city’s preeminent commercial photographer. Documenting everything from royal visits to deep poverty, from the building of the landmark Fort Garry Hotel to the turmoil of the 1919 General Strike, Foote’s photographs have come to be iconic representations of early Winnipeg life. They have been used to illustrate everything from academic histories to posters for rock concerts; they have influenced the work of visual artists, writers, and musicians; and they have represented Winnipeg to the world. But in Imagining Winnipeg, historian Esyllt W. Jones takes us beyond the iconic to reveal the complex artist behind the lens and the conflicting ways in which his photographs have been used to give credence to diverse and sometimes irreconcilable views of Winnipeg’s past. Incorporating 150 stunning photographs from the more than 2,000 images in the Archives of Manitoba Foote Collection, Imagining Winnipeg challenges our understanding of visual history and the city we thought we knew.

On The Same Page was launched in 2008 and is a partnership between Winnipeg Public Library and The Winnipeg Foundation. Now in its seventh year, the program encourages participation throughout the province through a variety of author readings and special events, book giveaways, and promotions within libraries and bookstores. Previous titles featured have been: In Search of April Raintree by Beatrice Mosionier, Reading by Lightning by Joan Thomas, Juliana and the Medicine Fish by Jake MacDonald, Le soleil de lac qui se couche (The Setting Lake Sun) by J. R. Léveillé, Manitowapow, edited by Niigaanwewidam James Sinclair and Warren Cariou, and The Lucky Ones by Anne Mahon.

Posted: 9 July 2014

New Publication in Winnipeg Architecture Series

University of Winnipeg Modern
by Emily G. Doucet

This publication by the Winnipeg Architecture Foundation provides an architectural and historical tour of buildings and landscapes on the University of Winnipeg campus. Designed by Winnipeg’s most prominent architects, the campus has a legacy of buildings from the 1894 Wesley Hall to the 2014 United RecPlex.

The University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections has uploaded two rare films to its YouTube channel depicting the 1939 visit to Winnipeg of King George VI and his royal consort Queen Elizabeth to Winnipeg. The films, one in vibrant colour and the other in black and white, depict some of the nearly 100,000 excited Winnipeggers, mostly schoolchildren, who lined the streets of the city to get a fleeting glimpse of the King and Queen as they passed by in their motorcade. The King and Queen are clearly visible in one shot as they drive by the filmmaker. The videos are available for viewing here:

Posted: 2 June 2014

Winners of 2013 Margaret McWilliams Awards Announced

Today, for Manitoba Day 2014, the Manitoba Historical Society announces the recipients of its 2013 Margaret McWilliams Awards for excellence in writing about Manitoba history, in two categories: scholarly history and popular history. Books nominated for the award have been published in the 2013 calendar year.

Award presentations will take place at the MHS Annual General Meeting on Saturday, 7 June 2014.

The Society wishes to thank all authors and publishers for their submissions.

Posted: 12 May 2014

Lieutenant Governor Recognizes Five With Historical Award

On 8 May 2014, Lt.-Gov. Philip S. Lee will present awards to five Manitobans for their prolonged, meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of the province’s rich history and heritage at Government House, 10 Kennedy Street. Those to be recognized are as follows:

“Manitobans care greatly about their history. For proof of that, consider the more than 150 museums, located in communities from the 49th parallel to the Hudson Bay, and more than 2,000 community history books covering cities, towns, villages and rural municipalities” said Lee. “Most of these would not exist without the loving care of volunteers and leaders such as the individuals being honoured this evening.”

The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Historical Preservation and Promotion was established in 2010 and is presented annually in consultation with the Manitoba Historical Society (MHS). Founded in 1879, the MHS offers awards commemorating businesses, farms and organizations that have operated for over 100 years, recognizes important historical books with its Margaret McWilliams Awards, and encourages school children to learn about Manitoba’s past through its Young Historians Awards.

The MHS receives award nominations from the public and recommends up to five people to receive awards each year. Nominations are welcome at any time. Those received by 27 February 2015 will be considered for presentation around Manitoba Day 2015.

Further details of the award program, along with a nomination form, are available on the Manitoba Historical Society website at www.mhs.mb.ca and can also be accessed through the website of the Lieutenant Governor at www.lg.gov.mb.ca.

The Brandon Sun reports that RCMP are investigating vandalism at the historic Criddle-Vane homestead, about 40 kilometers southeast of Brandon in the Rural Municipality of South Cypress. Windows in a building were broken and a protective panel was destroyed. Anyone with information on this regretable incident is asked to call the Brandon RCMP at 204-726-7522 or Crime Stoppers.

After six months of public input, presentations, and debate, the Manitoba Historical Society has voted to partner with Candace House Incorporated, a registered charity, to provide a new, active life for the heritage property at 61 Carlton Street, Winnipeg, otherwise known as Dalnavert.

Originally the home of Hugh John Macdonald, son of Prime Minister John A. Macdonald, Dalnavert has served as a year-round Victorian museum for the last 40 years. Candace House will leave the exterior intact but will convert the interior into a daytime respite and healing centre for victims of major crimes who have business at the courthouse nearby. The MHS will continue to own the contents of Dalnavert and may choose to continue operating the museum in part of the home. The property, including the Visitors’ Centre, will continue to be available to the public for special events.

Negotiations to transfer the site to Candace House begin shortly. Along with the major points listed above, the following details will form part of the agreement:

1. The MHS will have a permanent seat on the board of Candace House.
2. The grounds will be maintained to the standards expected for a national historic site.
3. The property will revert to the MHS should Candace House cease operations.

Dalnavert’s conversion will benefit both heritage and social justice advocates. Candace House needs a home within easy walking distance of the Law Courts building, while the MHS needs a long-term, stable plan for preserving its 119-year-old building. Finding a new, sustainable use for Dalnavert is also a meaningful way to honour the memory of Hugh John Macdonald, who built Dalnavert in 1895. Although Macdonald is best known as a prominent Winnipeg citizen and premier, his longest contribution to the province was as a magistrate, a role one historian says was his “true calling.” Macdonald was known for his “courtesy and compassion,” using his home to provide “shelter and guidance to those in need.” Candace House is an extension of Macdonald’s guiding spirit.

Given that our Society and many supporters have invested time and energy in Dalnavert Museum, the decision to adapt it to another use was emotionally difficult. However, we believe it is the best option for conserving the home’s historic character, and is in keeping with best practices of heritage property management. Despite our best efforts over many years to maintain the museum, declining attendance and revenue have placed a huge financial burden on the MHS, threatening other highly successful projects and the Society as a whole.

Stephanie Meeks, CEO and President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Washington, DC, said running a house museum is economically unrealistic. “We all know about rising maintenance needs, shrinking municipal budgets, and smaller donor bases.” In partnering with Candace House, the MHS has taken the most prudent, sustainable step to preserving Macdonald’s home.

UPDATE: Candace House has withdrawn its plans to develop a facility at Dalnavert Museum.

Posted: 17 April 2014, updated January 2015

Leaders Wanted for 8th Annual Jane’s Walk

Do you have a story to tell? Do you know your neighbourhood like the back of your hand? Or perhaps you’re a recent newcomer and can share your experience of learning about a new city? Do you have an idea for a fun, informative, unusual way of looking at cities and neighbourhoods? You could organize a Jane’s Walk in Winnipeg this year!

What is Jane’s Walk?

Jane’s Walk celebrates the ideas and legacy of urbanist Jane Jacobs by getting people out exploring their neighbourhoods and meeting their neighbours. Free walks held on the first weekend of May each year are led by locals who want to create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the places they live and work.

Since its inception in Toronto in 2007, Jane’s Walk has expanded rapidly. Last year, more than 800 walks were held in over 100 cities in 22 countries worldwide. In Winnipeg local citizens have organized walks in neighbourhoods across the city exploring a range of themes including local history, environmental issues, urban design and architecture, accessibility issues, active transportation, public art, social/cultural experiences of the city, and more. Visit www.janeswalk.org for more information.

Organizing a Jane’s Walk is Easy!

It simply involves planning a route, thinking through the stories, places and people and ideas you want to hear and talk about, and promoting it around your neighbourhood. You can also share the guiding duties with a few other resourceful friends or colleagues.

There are only two rules: walks are taken and given for free, and they should be walking conversations. As a walking conversation, Jane’s Walks encourage participants to share their own knowledge, stories and ideas along the walk.

Plan Your Jane’s Walk in 4 Steps

Jane’s Walks are proposed, organized and delivered by citizens like you. Anyone is free to lead a Jane’s Walk in their community. There is no formal approval or jury process, the only requirement is that your walk aligns with the Jane’s Walk principles.

Step 1: Think about a walk theme and route. Pick a date (May 3 or May 4), starting time and location.

Step 2: Complete the Jane’s Walk Proposal Outline on the following page.

Step 3: Contact the Jane’s Walk Winnipeg team to submit your walk proposal. The Jane’s Walk Winnipeg organizing team asks that you contact us with details about your proposed walk to ensure coordination of walks on the day/weekend. Email mgcarreau@gmail.com

The Jane’s Walk organizing team is available to help you plan and promote your walk. We can answer your questions, connect you with local resources, and provide you with an orientation session to give you tips that will help you lead the most successful walk possible.

A group in the RM of Glenlla is preparing to write a second edition of their local history book, to be entitled More Tracks of Time, due later in 2014. Anyone interested in contributing stories for the book is asked to contact Ms. Adrene Schmidt at 204-352-4283 or kschmidt@inetlink.ca, or send them by mail to:

To be included in the Memorable Manitobans collection, now numbering over 8,300 people, is that a person must be deceased, have resided in Manitoba for some portion of their lives, and in some way had made a significant contribution to Manitoba life. Nominations of other noteworthy persons to Memorable Manitobans can be submitted here.

Posted: 1 January 2014

Manitoba Names Lakes for First World War Veterans

Premier Greg Selinger has announced that four Victoria Cross (VC) recipients from Manitoba have been recognized with lakes named permanently in their honour. The four men who received the highest medal of valour in the Commonwealth, all served in the First and Second World Wars. The veterans and their geographic features are:

Alexander Brereton Lake, named after Company Quartermaster Sgt. Alexander Picton Brereton, VC, who was born 13 November 1892, in Oak River and served with the 8th Battalion, Winnipeg Rifles. He died on 10 January 1976.

Cruickshank Lake, named after Maj. Robert Edward Cruickshank, VC, who was born on 17 June 1888, in Winnipeg and served with the London Scottish Regiment. He died on 30 August 1961.

Coulson Mitchell Lake, named after Lt.-Col. Coulson Norman Mitchell, VC, Military Cross (MC) , who was born on 11 December 1889, in Winnipeg and served with the Royal Canadian Engineers. He died on 17 November 1978.

Harcus Strachan Lake, named after Lt.-Col. Harcus Strachan, VC, MC, who was born on 7 November 1884, in Borrowstounness, Scotland. He immigrated to Canada in 1908 and served with the Fort Garry Horse. He died on 1 May 1982.

All the lakes are located approximately 90 to 110 kilometres east of Thompson. With this announcement, the provincial government has now named geographical features in honour of all Manitoba VC recipients.

The Brereton family has been located and will be sent a commemorative name certificate for Brereton Lake. Due to the difficulty in locating next of kin for other recipients, it is expected that certificates of registration will be given to their regiments. However, any family members of the other men being honoured are asked to contact provincial toponymist Des Kappel at 204-945-1798 in Winnipeg.

Posted: 9 November 2013

MHS Past President Commemorated by Canadian Stamp

On 24 October 2013, the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism attended the release of a new stamp commemorating the late Honourable Paul Yuzyk, a former President of the Manitoba Historical Society (1961-1963). The event was hosted by Senator Raynell Andreychuk.

Senator Yuzyk is best remembered as the father of Canadian multiculturalism, since 2009 the Government of Canada’s annual award recognizing outstanding contributions to multiculturalism bears his name, and his important legacy continues to be highlighted through initiatives such as this commemorative stamp.

The stamp in honour of Senator Paul Yuzyk, the father of Canadian multiculturalism. “Canada: A Multicultural Nation” was the maiden speech given by Senator Paul Yuzyk in the Senate of Canada on 3 March 1964.

A consultation on the future of libraries and archives in Canada, sponsored by The Royal Society of Canada and The Academies of Arts, Humanities and Sciences of Canada, will be held on Friday, 18 October 2013, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM. It will be held at the University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections (330 Elizabeth Dafoe Library). All are welcome to attend.

This consultation arises from the appointment by The Royal Society of Canada of an eleven-member international expert panel, whose mandate can be found at http://rsc-src.ca/en/expert-panels/rscreports/ status-and-future-canadas-libraries-and-archives. A key element of the panel’s work is to hear from Canadians generally about the value they place on libraries and archives, the services they receive and expect from these institutions, and the ways digital technology is transforming our knowledge universe. Similarly, it wishes to hear from those professionals charged with delivering library, information, and archival services to Canadians, including what challenges (including delimiters) these professionals currently face in determining and then delivering the services expected by Canadians. Submission to the panel can be made by way of email attachment to Jessica MacQueen at jlmacqueen@gmail.com.

In addition to receiving written submissions from individuals or associations, the following public consultations will be held:

The Royal Proclamation of 1763 was issued on 7 October 1763, by King George III following Great Britain’s acquisition of French territory in North America after the end of the French and Indian War (also known as the Seven Years’ War). The Royal Proclamation of 1763 is the first legal recognition by the British Crown of First Nation sovereignty and land rights and sets out general principles of Treaty-making. The Government of Canada and First Nations have a unique relationship which was born out of the Royal Proclamation of 1763.

A series of events will commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Royal Proclamation of 1763:

For registration, please contact Planners Plus, Carmen Neufeld, 204-257-5205, carmen@plannersplus.ca. Pre-registration is required. The organizers will be taking photographs and recordings during the sessions for future promotion; please consider this prior to registering.

Posted: 24 September 2013

University of Manitoba Launches New Digital Collection Online

The University of Manitoba Libraries have launched their UM Digital Collections, a digital asset management system. UM Digital Collections intends to be the University’s single access point for rare and unique digital material about the University of Manitoba and the province of Manitoba. It currently features over 75,000 digitized items from the holdings of the Libraries and Archives, including correspondence, photos, books, newspapers, and film. This material is now freely accessible for browsing, searching, and downloading low- or high-resolution copies. UM Digital Collections also provides a secure preservation framework whereby all the content is preserved for the long-term.

Archival staff have worked over the past few months preparing content for inclusion in the system, some of which has never before been made available online, including hundreds of University of Manitoba photographs; a complete set of the University yearbook, the Brown and Gold; the 1969 UMSU-produced film And No Birds Sing; several collections of photographs pertaining to Manitoba’s medical history; and a small collection of 1880s portraits of Winnipeg Indigenous peoples. A few of their more popular digital collections have also migrated over to UM Digital Collections, including the Hamilton Family séance photos and the Winnipeg Tribune. New content will be added to the site as they migrate digital content from other systems.

Jesse Boiteau, the first Masters of Archival Studies intern specializing in Indigenous Archiving at the University of Manitoba, has started a blog about the records of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian Residential Schools and the University of Manitoba’s involvement with them. He intends to post information on a regular basis.

This publication provides an architectural and historical tour of buildings and landscapes on the University of Manitoba campus from the post-1945 period. The School of Architecture has a strong legacy of graduates who have left their design imprint both on the campus and across Canada.

ISBN 978-0-9878093-9-1
5.5" x 8.5" x 0.18"
$15

Broadway Modern by Emily G. Doucet and Susan Algie

Broadway between Main Street and Osborne Street has long been a Winnipeg address of prestige, book-ended by two dominant, significant works of architecture – Union Station to the east and the Manitoba Legislative Building to the west. The early history of the avenue was as a desirable residential neighborhood, with little commercial activity. A building boom in the late 1950s to early 1970s, however, resulted in a collection of modernist architecture designed by some of Winnipeg’s most notable firms. The Broadway Modern tour provides information on these buildings and their architects.

ISBN 978-0-9878093-5-3
5.5" x 8.5" x 0.18"
$15

Posted: 2 September 2013

New Video on Manitoba History

The Manitoba Historical Society, in collaboration with independent video producer William Plenty, has produced a 30-minute video on Manitoba history. Entitled MHS Presents, the video includes stories about effects of the 1919 Flu Pandemic at Portage la Prairie, antique motorcycles, German POWs near Newton, and the beautifully preserved Deer Range Schoolhouse. It features MHS President James Kostuchuk, webmaster Gordon Goldsborough, and council member Ross Metcalfe.

The video is being broadcast now, as part of Stories From Home on the MTS On Demand service, and an excerpt is available on YouTube:

Posted: 10 August 2013

Symposium Call for Papers: Masquerade and Masking in Prairie Canada

A two-day conference on the theme of “Masquerade and Masking in Prairie Canada” is being organized for 6-7 June 2014, in Winnipeg, by Alison Marshall (Brandon University) and Pauline Greenhill (University of Winnipeg). The keynote speaker will be Katrin Sieg of Georgetown University (Washington, DC), author of Ethnic Drag: Performing Race, Nation, Sexuality in West-Germany (University of Michigan Press, 2002).

The organizers invite proposals for individual papers or organized panels on masking, mumming, and other aspects of traditional performance in prairie Canada. They are particularly but not exclusively interested in events where dress-up and disguise can invoke a racial, ethnic, gender, or species identity other than the performer’s own. They seek to explore not only the representation of self as someone—or something—else, but also the social and cultural meanings of such performances for diverse community audiences. The symposium will bring together researchers and performers to discuss the historical, cultural, social, political, and religious dynamics and processes of vernacular entertainment production. They encourage contributions from a variety of approaches, including but not limited to critical race studies, cultural studies, gender studies, indigenous studies, postcolonial studies, and religious studies as well as from disciplines like anthropology, folklore, history, politics, and sociology.

Please submit individual and panel abstracts (with title) of between 250 and 300 words by 30 September 2013 to maskingmummingperformance@gmail.com as well as a short (one paragraph) bio. Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by 15 November 2013.

To facilitate better discussion, the organizers will require your 2500 word paper for circulation among presenters by 25 February 2014. Conference presenters will have a total of 30 minutes (including 10 minutes of discussion time) for paper delivery. They plan to publish an edited volume on the topic, and will invite essays of 8,000 to 10,000 words (inclusive of references) by 15 August 2014.

Posted: 10 August 2013

New Publication on Brutalist Winnipeg Architecture

The Winnipeg Architecture Foundation has announced the first publication in its Winnipeg Architecture series. Brutalist Architecture in Winnipeg is a tour of Brutalist-style architecture located throughout the city, constructed during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The 56-page book explores their genesis as well as the place of Brutalism in the history of the city. It costs $15 and may be ordered online or through local bookstores.

The First Annual Carberry Heritage Festival adds a new wrinkle to Manitoba’s summer festival season. Everyone with an interest in history, heritage, country living and having fun is invited to share in this all-ages celebration. Carberry has plenty to celebrate.

“If you got it, flaunt it and when it comes to heritage preservation, we got it,” says Cathy Drayson, member of the Heritage Festival Committee. “What we have in Carberry is unique in Manitoba and we want to share it in a family fun way.”

The two-day festival, on Friday and Saturday, 9 and 10 August 2013, occurs in a town that abounds with well-preserved heritage buildings including Manitoba’s only designated Heritage District—two blocks of Carberry’s Main Street which has thirty heritage buildings, most built around 1900. Main Street will be closed off for festival events.

In addition to walking tours of the town’s architectural gems, events on both days include a display of vintage cars and farm implements at the Carberry Plains Museum, cemetery tours, a display about Camp Hughes, a First World War training camp, at the Legion, street buskers, artisan booths, fun activities for kids, a vintage hat display on the verandah of Carberry’s gingerbread house, flea market and demonstrations of wool spinning, taxidermy, felt making and intuitive readings.

Friday ends with an old time dance in the hall. Bring the whole family and cut a rug to the fiddle sounds of Mark Morisseau and his band at this all-ages (no alcohol) event.

Saturday activities feature a farmer’s market in the morning, a celebration of naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton’s birthday at Seton Centre, high tea, apron fashion show and much more. Saturday ends with a performance by dancers, drummers and singers from Swan Lake First Nation.

Carberry is located 42 kilometers east of Brandon on the Trans-Canada Highway and three kilometers south on Highway 5.

Posted: 29 June 2013

New Book on Manitoba’s Brewing History

Great Plains Publications of Winnipeg has published a book on the brewing history of Manitoba, by noted brewerianists Bill Wright and Dave Craig. The 208-page, 12-chapter book, entitled 300 Years of Beer: An Illustrated History of Brewing in Manitoba, is richly illustrated with over 400 colour and black-and-white illustrations of rare beer labels, retro bottles, and ads dating back as far as the 1870s. 300 Years of Beer chronicles the bygone days when beer barons like Patrick Shea and E. L. Drewry ruled over an industry to the modern day microbrewer and explores the events that shaped the drinking habits of Manitobans.

Copies of the book will be available at McNally Robinson, Chapters, Costco, Amazon.ca, and Barns & Noble. It will be launched at McNally Robinson on Thursday, 6 June 2013 at 7:00 PM. All are welcome to attend this event.

Bill Wright and Dave Craig are self-professed “beer geeks” who have pursued their delicious hobby as soon as they became aware of beers, bottles, and brewing. They live in Winnipeg.

Posted: 29 May 2013

Inventory of Modernist Buildings in Winnipeg to be Created

The Winnipeg Architecture Foundation is starting an inventory of modernist suburbs in Winnipeg. Silver Heights is the first neighbourhood to be researched. Included will be the single family residences, highrises and retail, designed by Lount Construction. Anyone with printed material such as sales brochures, subdivision plans, period photographs or other material related to the development of this subdivision, that they may be willing to loan for research purposes, is asked to contact the Foundation.

Posted: 26 May 2013

Panel Discussion on Metis in Canada

On 7:30 PM on Tuesday, 11 June 2013, a panel discussion will be held at the Centre culturel franco-manitobain (340 Provencher Blvd, Winnipeg) to mark the publication of a new book Métis in Canada: History, Identity, Law and Politics by the University of Alberta Press. The panellists will include book authors Christopher Adams, Gregg Dahl, Kelly Saunders, and Jeremy Patzer.

“These twelve essays constitute a ground-breaking volume of new work prepared by leading scholars in the fields of history, anthropology, constitutional law, political science, and sociology, who identify the many facets of what it means to be Métis in Canada today. After the Powley decision in 2003, Métis people were no longer conceptually limited to the historical boundaries of the fur trade in Canada. Key ideas explored in this collection include identity, rights, and issues of governance, politics, and economics.” (University of Alberta Press)

Posted: 26 May 2013

Archives Awards Announced

On 16 May 2013, at the Western Canada Aviation Museum, the Association for Manitoba Archives honoured seven recipients with its 7th Annual Manitoba Day Awards. The award recognizes recipients that have used archival resources from member archives in a variety of creative, exciting, and thought-provoking ways to highlight aspects of Manitoba’s history:

for the art exhibit translate which combined archival photographs with 100-year-old chalkboard slate for an exhibit at the Tommy McLeod Curve Gallery in the John E. Robbins Library at Brandon University

for the blog “Lost Foote Photos” http://lostfootephotos.blogspot.ca which showcased the photos of L. B. Foote alongside stories solicited from the community about those photos and was created in support of their recent book Imagining Winnipeg: History Through the Photographs of L. B. Foote

The award was first presented in 2007. Previous recipients have included: songwriter and singer John K. Sampson, playwright Danny Schur, filmmaker Kevin Nikkel, historian Randy Rostecki, and author Jack Bumsted, among others. Recipients are selected from nominations made by members of the Association.

Posted: 18 May 2013

Winners of 2012 Margaret McWilliams Awards Announced

Today, for Manitoba Day 2013, the Manitoba Historical Society announces the recipients of its 2012 Margaret McWilliams Awards for excellence in writing about Manitoba history, in three categories: scholarly history, local history, and popular history. Books nominated for the award have been published in the 2012 calendar year.

The award, one of Canada’s oldest literary prizes, was created in 1955 to honour noted Manitoba feminist, historian, and author Margaret Stovell McWilliams. She was first President of the Canadian Federation of University Women in 1919, President of the Women’s Canadian Club in 1922, President of the Manitoba Historical Society from 1944 to 1948, and Winnipeg’s second female Alderman from 1933 to 1940. McWilliams was the author of Manitoba Milestones (1928), If I Were King of Canada (1931), and This New Canada (1948).

Posted: 12 May 2013

Lieutenant Governor Recognizes Five With Historical Award

In a ceremony at Government House on 9 May, Lieutenant Governor Philip S. Lee recognized five Manitobans for their contributions to the preservation and promotion of Manitoba history. Those recognized were as follows: